Card-index.



Patented May 7, 19m

F. MACEY.

C A R D I N D E X (Application filed Nov: 11, 1900.;

(No Model.)

71/11, iii-Him UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK MACEY, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

CARD-INDEX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 673,403, dated May '7,1901.

Application filed November 17, 1900. Serial No. 36,857. (No model.)

To all whom, it ntcty concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK MACEY, a citi- Zen of the United States,residing at Grand.

Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Card-Indexes; and I do herebydeclare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in card-indexes, and moreparticularly to cardindexes having longitudinally removable rodsinserted in openings in the cards to sedetail by reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which. I,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of a device embodying myinvention, taken on line 1 1 of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 isa plan view of thesame; Fig. 3, an enlarged perspective detail of the mechanism attachedto the backrest; Fig. 4, an enlarged detail of the means of securing therod in place as it appears when detached; Fig. 5, the same as it appearswhen detached; Fig. 6,an elevation of the inner side of thescutcheon-plate; Fig. 7, a detail of the sleeve,and Fig. 8 a detail insection on the line 8 8 of Fig. 1.

Like letters refer to like parts in all the figures.

A represents any suitable drawer or case to receive index-cards, saidcase and cards having suitable openings to receive the rod.

B is a rod extending longitudinally of the case A and near the bottomthereof and adapted to be inserted longitudinally in the openings in thecards and also removably inserted in suitable openings in the front ofthe case and in the adjustable back-rest F. To detachably secure the rodin place, I provide a scutcheon-plate E, having an outwardlypressedportion E, forming a recess. In the middle of said recess is an opening0 to receive the rod, and lateral extensions 0 O at opposite sides ofthe opening. Portions of the plate are turned inward at the upper sideof one extension, and at the lower side of the other extension to formstops P P.

O is a suitable milled head fixed on the outer end of the rod B andhaving an inwardlyprojecting boss 0.

Surrounding the rod B is a compressible spring N, abutting against theboss 0 at one end and against the annular head of the sleeve D, whichsleeve incloses the spring N and slidably engages the rod B and boss 0.This spring serves to eject the rod and also presses the sleeve infrictional contact with the sou tcheon-plate, and thus prevents atoo-free turning of the rod. A pin Mis inserted transversely in the rodB and shouldered at each end. The ends of this pin engage and stop thesleeve when the rod is detached from the plate E. The shoulders of thepin engage the sides of the opening in the head of the sleeve and retainthe pin in place. The ends of this pin pass through the lateral recessesO O and engage the inner surface of the scutcheonplate, and thus preventthe withdrawal of the rod. The lugs P P stop the pin and prevent turningthe same far enough to again release the rod, and when the pin is turnedin the opposite direction they stop the pin opposite the lateralrecesses O 0', thus insuring the ejection of the rod by the action ofthe spring N, to adjustably attach the back-rest to the rod and tosupport the back-rest when the rod is removed.

G is a plate arranged vertically and at right angles to the back-rest Fand attached thereto by a flange H. Said plate extends downward througha slot A in the bottom of the case and is provided with aflange G at thelower end to engage the under side of the bottom. The plate G is alsoprovided with a flange H, and the flanges H and H have openings neartheir lower ends to receive the rod B. A portion of the plate G is alsosevered at three sides and turned at right angles, forming a ledge I.Through an opening or slot in this ledge is inserted a lever J, whichlever is pivotally supported in said opening containing cards.

it from the rest.

by a shoulder J engaging the ledge. This lever is also perforated nearthe lower end to receive the rod B, and when the lever is vertieal or atright angles to the rod it moves freely on the same, and when said leveris inclined it binds on the rod and locks the plate and back-rest on thesame.

K is a spring having its lower end inserted in a recess or pocketbetween the back-rest and the flange H. Said pocket is formed bypressing a portion L of the' flange H away The upper end of the spring Kengages the lever J and presses the same away from the flange H, andthus automatically locks the lever on the rod. By grasping the upperends of the flange H and the lever J and pressing the lever toward theflange the grip of the lever is released and the rod can be withdrawn orthe back rest adjusted at pleasure. It will, however, be observed thatwhen the drawer is closed the rod cannot be released, but is firmlysecured by the back-rest, and thus locking the'drawer prevents removalof the rod.

When the device is used in a drawer,the head 0 can be used as adrawer-pull. If not thus used, the means for securing the rod to thescutcheon-plate may be wholly omitted and the rod secured in place bythe lever J only. When the rod is removed, the cards tend to tilt theback-rest backward, and this movement binds the edge of the bottombetween the flange G and the lower end of the flange H,

thus holding the. back rest from moving. When the rod is inserted,itholds the back-rest vertical, and the back-rest slides freely when thelever J is released,the plate where engaged with the slot serving as aguide for the backrest.

By the construction of the scutcheon-plate and parts for securing therod in place I avoid any necessity of forming any recess or chamber inthe front of the case and also provide asimple,cheap,and durablestructure quickly and easily attached to any drawer or case for Theseparts being outside the woodwork and made wholly of metal, the devicedoes not get out of order by shrinking or swelling of the wood. It canalso be man ufactured and assembled ready to attach to any drawer orcase adapted to receive cards and sold as an article of manufacture inthis condition.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination of a case, a longitudinally-removable rod in thecase, a knob and lateral projections on the rod, a scutcheonplate on theouter su rface of the case and having a recess in the side adjacent tothe case, and also having a central opening to receive the rod andlateral openings to receive the projections, and a spring between theknob and plate, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a scutcheon-plate having a central opening havinglateral extensions, a rod, a head attached to the rod, a boss on thehead surrounding the rod, a cap longitudinally movable on the rod andboss, 3. spring in the cap, and a transverse pin in the rod yieldinglyengaged by the cap and adapted to pass through the lateral extensions inthe plate and engage the inner side of the plate, substantially asdescribed.

3. The combination of a scutcheon-plate having a recess, and a centralopening having lateral extensions,and lugs at opposite sides of theopening, a rod, a head having a boss surrounding the rod, a caplongitudinally movable on the boss and rod, a spring in the cap, and atransverse pin in the rod, substantially as described.

4:. As an article of manufacture, a rod, a head attached to the rod andhaving a boss surrounding the same, a cap longitudinally movable on therod, a spring in the cap, and a transverse pin in the rod yieldinglyengaged by the cap, substantially as described.

5. The combination of a rod, a head on the rod, a cap longitudinallymovable on the rod, a spring in the cap, a pin in the rod, andprojecting oppositely therefrom, and having its opposite-endsshouldered, substantially as described.

6. The combination of a case having a slot in the bottom,a rod in thecase,a movable backrest in the case, a plate extending through the slotand having a lateral flange at the bottom, a vertical flange at one sideof the plate and attached to the back-rest, and a pivoted lever on theplate and engaging the rod, substantially as described.

'7. The combination of a case having a slot in the bottom, a rod in thecase, a back-rest movable in the case, a plate attached to the back-restand extending through the slot and having a flange to engage the bottom,vertical flanges on the plate perforated to receive the rod, and apivoted lever engaging the rod, substantially as described.

8. The combination. of a case, a rod in the case, an adjustableback-rest, a plate having flanges, said flanges having openings toreceive the rod, and secured by'one flange to the back-rest, a leverpivoted to the plate and having an opening through'which the rodextends,and a spring engaging the lever, substantially as described.

9. Thecombination of a case, a rod, an adj ustable back-rest, a platehaving flanges, provided with openings and secured to the backrest byone of said flanges, a ledge formed by partially severing and bending aportion of the plate, a lever extending through the ledge and having ashoulder, and also having an opening, a spring engaging the lever, andarod inserted longitudinally in the case and in the openings in theflanges and lever, substantially as described.

10. In combination with an adjustable back-rest, and a rod, a platehaving flanges at each side, said flanges having openings to re- IIOceive the rod, one of said flanges being also secured to the back-restand having a pocket, aledge formed of a portion of the plate, severed onthree sides and bent at right angles, a lever passing through the ledgeand pivoted therein and having an opening to receive the rod, and aspring inserted in the pocket, and engaging the lever, substantially asdescribed.

11. The combination of a case having a longitudinal slot, a rodlongitudinally and removably inserted in the case, a movable back-restin the case, means for adjustably attaching the back-rest to the rod,and a plate engaging the slot to support the back-rest when the rod isremoved, substantially as described.

12. The combination of a case, a rod removably inserted in the case, anadjustable back-rest in the case, a lever pivoted on the back-rest andhaving an opening to receive the rod, a spring engaging the lever, andmeans for supporting the back-rest when the rod is removed,substantially as described.

13. The combination of a case having a longitudinal slot in the bottom,a back-rest adjustable in the case, a plate attached to the back-restand extending through the slot, a flange on the plate engaging the underside of the bottom, a removable rod in the case, a lever pivoted on theback-rest and engaging the rod and a spring engaging the lever,substantially as described.

14. The combination of a case having a longitudinal slot, a removablerod in the case, a back-rest adjustable in the case, a plate havingvertical flanges; perforated to receive the rod; and attached to theback-rest, an exten sion of the plate to traverse the slot, 2. flange onthe extension of the plate to engage the bottom, a lever having anopening to receive the rod, and a spring to engage to operate the lever,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK MAOEY,

Witnesses:

LUTHER V. MOULTON, PALMER A. JONES.

